Switch operating and locking device.



No. 778,566. PATENTED NOV, 1, 1904. J. HART.

SWITCH OPERATING AND LOOKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26, 1903.

NO MODEL.

W/TIIESSES: nvvew ran UNTTED STATES Patented November 1 ,1904.

PATENT FFICE.

JAMES HART, OF J OHN STOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE LORAIN STEELCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH OPERATING AND LOCKING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,566, dated November1, 1904.

Application filed December 26, 1903. Serial No. 186,628. (No model.)

To all whom zit may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES HART, of J ohnstown, in the county of Cambriaand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSwitch Operating and Looking Devices, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements inswitch operating and locking devices, and is designed to provide meansof simple and efficient character by means of which a movable switchpoint or tongue may be locked in either one of its two positions andwhich will also act to assist in throwing the tongue or point from oneposition to the other, also whereby the switch may be readily convertedinto a spring-switch, with right or left hand throw, as may be desired.

WVith these objects in view my invention consists in the combination ofa movable switch tongue or point, of a spring connected thereto and soarranged that it acts to resist movement of the tongue up to a certainpoint, beyond which its action becomes reversed and it is made to assistthe further movement of the tongue; also, in means in connection withsaid spring for adjusting its tension; also, in other means whereby saidtongue may be set to act wholly in either one of two directions, andthereby give the tongue the action of an ordinary spring-switch; and,finally, the invention consists in the novel construction andcombination of parts, all substantially as herein described, and pointedout in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view showing my invention applied,the cover of the spring-box being removed; Fig. 2, a view of a portionof the same on a larger scale, and Fig. 3 a detail view.

The letter A designates the body portion of the switch structure, and Bthe movable tongue or point, pivoted at 6. Connected to the tongue is alaterally-projecting threaded rod C, on which is adjustably secured bythe nuts 0 an upwardly -projecting slotted or forked arm D.

E designates a piece of spring material placed transversely in thespring-box F and engaged at its central portion by the arm D. To reducefriction and facilitate the action of this spring, its ends are inserted(preferably loosely) in slots in rollers G, which are provided withbearings g on the lateral walls of the box F. To provide means foradjusting the tension of this spring, one of these bearings 9 may beformed by a separate piece or block, as shown, made adjustable bysetscrews 9.

The spring E is so adjusted that it will have its greatest tension whenthe tongue B is at the central point of its throw, the nuts 0 be- 5 ingproperly adjusted, so that the spring will be in'approximately theposition indicated by the intermediate dotted lines in Fig. 2 when thetongue is at such central point.

It will therefore be clear that the resistance of the spring will act asa lock to hold the tongue in both of its full-thrown positions, but thatas soon as the tongue is forced beyond its middle position the springwill act strongly thereon to complete its throw. formed is amplysufficient to prevent the tongue from being accidentally thrown,although it can be readily forced over by the use of the usualswitch-bar.

The lock thus In case it is desired to convert the switch into aspring-switch with right or left hand throw the nuts 0 can be soadjusted that the movement of the tongue will not be suiiicient to carrythe spring by center. Its action then becomes similar to the springusually em- 5 I do 9 arrangement herein shown and described, as

those may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention as defined in and by the appended claims.

The nature of the strains to which the spring is subjected is such as totend to cause it to I00 break in time; but it will be apparent that itcan be very easily and cheaply replaced in case of breakage.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a movable switch tongue or point, of a bowedspring to which said tongue or point is connected, and which is arrangedto have its greatest tension when said tongue or point is at the centralpoint of its throw.

2. The combination with a movable switch tongue or point, of a spring towhich said tongue or point is connected, and means for adjusting themovement of said spring whereby such movement may be wholly to eitherside of its center,or equallyupon both sides thereof.

of a spring-box provided with spring-bearings in its lateral walls, oneof said bearings being adjustable, a transverse spring under tensionbetween the said bearings, and an arm engaging the central portion ofthe spring and con nected to the tongue.

6. The combination with the tongue having the laterally-projecting rodand the bowed spring, of the arm adjustably secured upon the said rodand engaging the said spring.

7. The combination of the spring-box, the roller-bearings at the sidewalls of said box, one of said bearings being adjustable toward and awayfrom the other one, the verticallyslotted rollers in said bearings, andthe transverse spring whose ends engage the slots of said rollers.

8. The combination with a movable switchtongue, of a bowed spring andconnections between the tongue and spring, whereby the latter has itsgreatest tension when the tongue is at the central point of its throw,together with means for adjusting the tension of the said spring.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES HART- l/Vitnesses:

LORETTO OCoNNELL, H. WV. SMITH.

